Art Thieves, Fakers and Fraudsters: A New Zealand Story

by Penelope Jackson

Penelope Jackson documents New Zealand’s most scandalous art crimes of the last 100 years – some notorious but others covered up by embarrassed owners and institutions. They include a near-life-sized nude mysteriously stolen from the Christchurch's McDougall Art Gallery and never seen again; an international court battle around ownership of major Italian paintings stolen from their Jewish owners by the Nazis, bought by a NZ soldier during WWII and later sold to Dunedin Public Art Gallery; a leading NZ painter who sold copies of his work as originals; paintings illegally sold by an unscrupulous art dealer; a blatant theft from the Auckland Art Gallery, and the embarrassing rip-offs by Goldie forger Karl Sim.

Jackson shows that NZ is far from immune to the criminal activities increasingly affecting art around the world. 2015 saw the establishment of the NZ Art Crime Research Trust, of which Jackson is a founding trustee. Art Thieves, Fakes and Fraudsters will be launched first at the September 30 opening of a major art crime exhibition, The Empty Frame, at Waikato Museum, and featured at the trust’s second symposium, City Gallery Wellington, October 15.

Genres: Art, Nonfiction, Crime

208 pages, Paperback

Published June 1, 2017

Reviews

[David Vernon · Rating 5 out of 5]

For an Australian who barely knows a Pollock from a Cezanne, I was not certain how a book about New Zealand art thieves, fakers and fraudsters would grab me — yet it did. In a fascinating and personal account Jackson takes the reader by the hand and guides the reader through the murky world of art crime. Drawing on many sources and her own personal experiences Jackson makes what could be a prosaic and very narrow subject engaging, educational and fun(!). She also unwraps the emotional impact of art crime on victims — these are not victimless crimes. Altogether, an excellent read.

[Tui Griffiths · Rating 4 out of 5]

as someone who has no knowledge of NZ art, this was a wonderful introduction to the dark side of NZ art. it's an easy read and covers broad subjects with curious characters.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

After hearing Penelope Jackson speak at the 2016 Art Crime Symposium at the City Gallery in Wellington, I was eager to read her book. I was not disappointed. Interesting, educational, and insightful, Jackson's book is an art crime lover's dream come true. It was particularly pleasing standing in front of the Alexander Turnbull Library's fake Lindauer at the Auckland Art Gallery's "The Maori Portraits: Gottfried Lindauer's New Zealand" exhibition and reading Jackson's words on the subject. I look forward to reading more of Penelope Jackson's publications.